By Enyichukwu Enemanna
United States President, Donald Trump has temporarily placed a ban on travellers from Burundi, its embassy in the small African nation said on Monday, attributing the decision to “repeated violations”.
In a statement on X on Monday, the US embassy said: “Respecting visa rules isn’t just personal, it is national.”
“Sadly, due to repeated violations, U.S. visas for Burundians are temporarily banned,” the statement said.
It added, “Let us uphold the rules, because one person’s actions can close doors for an entire nation”. Further details were not disclosed for the decision.
Travellers from Burundi were among seven nations to have imposition of a partial travel ban in June under Trump’s immigration policies.
His administration also banned all travel to the United States for people from 12 other nations, with many impoverished countries around Africa most affected.
A 2024 report by the US authorities stated that more than 15 percent of Burundians overstayed their visas, compared to 49 percent Chadians and 0.15 percent Japanese.
AFP news agency quoted a source in Burundi’s government, who spoke on condition of anonymity as expressing hope the measures would be lifted, citing “ongoing talks”.
In June, Burundian visas for the US were suspended for students and medical visits.
Among the 12 countries facing an outright travel ban are the Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Somalia and Sudan.
The Trump order said nations such as Somalia and Sudan lacked “competent” central authorities for processing passports and vetting.
Regarding the others, the order cited an above-average likelihood that people would overstay their visas.
